IHG Rewards Club has quietly launched it’s “Anywhere Check-In” for Gold and Platinum members that can request early check-in at eligible hotels using the app and get confirmation when their room is ready.
I came across this the other day when checking my reservation online for a hotel in Toronto. IHG Rewards Club was selling the idea of this Anywhere Check-In by allowing Gold and Platinum members request early check-in.
You can access IHG’s web page for Anywhere Check-In here.
The problem here of course was that as a Royal Ambassador member I have guaranteed 8AM check-in at InterContinental hotels and this box was also shown for my reservation at the InterContinental Yorkville.
I didn’t try to request the early check-in using the app, so I am not sure how early of a check-in you can really request? The illustration above shows that the IHG would text you once the room/suite is ready? Wouldn’t a push notification using the app be more appropriate?
I rarely have the SIM card on my phone that is on file with the IHG Rewards Club and would get those text messages months later when I am in that country.
Here’s the list of hotels currently participating to this initiative:
CANADA
Ontario
BRAMPTON
MISSISSAUGA
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS TORONTO-MISSISSAUGA
HOLIDAY INN MISSISSAUGA TORONTO WEST
HOLIDAY INN MISSISSAUGA WEST – MEADOWVALE
STAYBRIDGE SUITES TORONTO MISSISSAUGA
NORTH YORK
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS TORONTO-NORTH YORK
RICHMOND HILL
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS TORONTO – MARKHAM
TORONTO
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS TORONTO DOWNTOWN
HOLIDAY INN TORONTO BLOOR-YORKVILLE
HOLIDAY INN TORONTO DOWNTOWN CENTRE
INTERCONTINENTAL TORONTO YORKVILLE
VAUGHAN
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS VAUGHAN-SOUTHWEST
UNITED STATES
California
BELMONT
BERKELEY
CONCORD
CROWNE PLAZA CONCORD/WALNUT CREEK
DUBLIN
FOSTER CITY
CROWNE PLAZA FOSTER CITY-SAN MATEO
FREMONT
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS FREMONT – MILPITAS CENTRAL
LIVERMORE
OAKLAND
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS OAKLAND-AIRPORT
PACIFICA
REDWOOD CITY
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS REDWOOD CITY-CENTRAL
SAN FRANCISCO
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS SAN FRANCISCO-AIRPORT NORTH
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS SAN FRANCISCO FISHERMANS WHARF
HOLIDAY INN SAN FRANCISCO AIRPORT
HOLIDAY INN SAN FRANCISCO-CIVIC CENTER
HOLIDAY INN SAN FRANCISCO-FISHERMANS WHARF
INTERCONTINENTAL SAN FRANCISCO
SAN MATEO
HOLIDAY INN SAN MATEO-SAN FRANCISCO SFO
SAN PABLO
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS SAN PABLO – RICHMOND AREA
UNION CITY
CROWNE PLAZA SILICON VALLEY N – UNION CITY
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS UNION CITY (SAN JOSE)
Florida
CORAL GABLES
HOLIDAY INN CORAL GABLES – UNIVERSITY
DORAL
INTERCONTINENTAL AT DORAL MIAMI
FORT LAUDERDALE
CANDLEWOOD SUITES FT. LAUDERDALE AIRPORT/CRUISE
CROWNE PLAZA FT. LAUDERDALE AIRPORT/CRUISE
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS FT. LAUDERDALE AIRPORT/CRUISE
HOLLYWOOD
CROWNE PLAZA HOLLYWOOD BEACH RESORT
HOLIDAY INN FT. LAUDERDALE-AIRPORT
MIAMI
CROWNE PLAZA MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS KENDALL EAST – MIAMI
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS MIAMI-KENDALL
HOLIDAY INN PORT OF MIAMI-DOWNTOWN
STAYBRIDGE SUITES MIAMI DORAL AREA
MIAMI BEACH
HOLIDAY INN MIAMI BEACH-OCEANFRONT
MIAMI LAKES
MIAMI SPRINGS
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS MIAMI-ARPT CTRL-MIAMI SPRINGS
HOLIDAY INN MIAMI-INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
SUNRISE
Georgia
ATLANTA
CROWNE PLAZA ATLANTA PERIMETER AT RAVINIA
HOLIDAY INN ATLANTA DWTN – CENTENNIAL PARK
HOLIDAY INN ATLANTA-PERIMETER/DUNWOODY
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS ATLANTA ARPT WEST – CAMP CREEK
INTERCONTINENTAL BUCKHEAD ATLANTA
STAYBRIDGE SUITES ATLANTA-BUCKHEAD
COLLEGE PARK
HOLIDAY INN ATLANTA AIRPORT SOUTH
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS ATLANTA AIRPORT-COLLEGE PARK
DECATUR
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS ATLANTA-EMORY UNIVERSITY AREA
MARIETTA
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS MARIETTA-ATLANTA NORTHWEST
Illinois
BOLINGBROOK
CAROL STREAM
HOLIDAY INN CHICAGO-CAROL STREAM (WHEATON)
CHICAGO
CROWNE PLAZA CHICAGO METRO DOWNTOWN
HOLIDAY INN CHICAGO-MART PLAZA RIVER NORTH
HOLIDAY INN CHICAGO – MIDWAY AIRPORT
HOLIDAY INN CHICAGO O’HARE AREA
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS CHICAGO – MAGNIFICENT MILE
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS CHICAGO-MIDWAY AIRPORT
HOTEL INDIGO CHICAGO DOWNTOWN GOLD COAST
INTERCONTINENTAL CHICAGO MAGNIFICENT MILE
COUNTRYSIDE
HOLIDAY INN CHICAGO SW-COUNTRYSIDE CONFCTR
DOWNERS GROVE
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS CHICAGO-DOWNERS GROVE
ELK GROVE VILLAGE
GLEN ELLYN
CROWNE PLAZA LOMBARD DOWNERS GROVE
GLENVIEW
STAYBRIDGE SUITES CHICAGO — GLENVIEW
ITASCA
HOLIDAY INN CHICAGO WEST-ITASCA
LANSING
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS CHICAGO SOUTH LANSING
MATTESON
HOLIDAY INN CHICAGO MATTESON CONF CTR
NORTHBROOK
CROWNE PLAZA CHICAGO-NORTHBROOK
OAKBROOK TERRACE
PALATINE
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS CHICAGO-PALATINE/N ARLNGTN HTS
RIVERWOODS
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS CHICAGO-DEERFIELD/LINCOLNSHIRE
ROLLING MEADOWS
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS ROLLING MDWS-SCHAUMBURG AREA
HOLIDAY INN ROLLING MDWS-SCHAUMBURG AREA
ROSEMONT
CROWN PLAZA CHICAGO OHARE HOTEL & CONF CTR
HOLIDAY INN CHICAGO-O’HARE (ROSEMONT)
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS CHICAGO O’HARE
SCHAUMBURG
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS CHICAGO-SCHAUMBURG
TINLEY PARK
HOLIDAY INN CHICAGO-TINLEY PARK-CONV CTR
Massachusetts
BOSTON
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS BOSTON GARDEN
BRAINTREE
BROOKLINE
CAMBRIDGE
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS BOSTON – CAMBRIDGE
NATICK
NEWTON
HOTEL INDIGO BOSTON-NEWTON RIVERSIDE
ROCKLAND
SAUGUS
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS SAUGUS (LOGAN AIRPORT)
TEWKSBURY
WALTHAM
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS BOSTON-WALTHAM
WOBURN
New Hampshire
ROCHESTER
Texas
ADDISON
CROWNE PLAZA DALLAS NEAR GALLERIA-ADDISON
HOLIDAY INN DALLAS NORTH-ADDISON
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS DALLAS-ADDISON
ALLEN
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS ALLEN NORTH-EVENT CENTER
ARLINGTON
HOLIDAY INN ARLINGTON NE-RANGERS BALLPARK
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS ARLINGTON (I-20-PARKS MALL)
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS ARLINGTON (SIX FLAGS AREA)
BURLESON
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS BURLESON/FT. WORTH
CEDAR HILL
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS DALLAS SOUTHWEST-CEDAR HILL
DALLAS
CANDLEWOOD SUITES DALLAS/MARKET CENTER
CROWNE PLAZA DALLAS-MARKET CENTER
HOLIDAY INN DALLAS MARKET CENTER
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS DALLAS CENTRAL MARKET CENTER
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS DALLAS EAST – FAIR PARK
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS DALLAS PARK CENTRAL NORTHEAST
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS DALLAS/STEMMONS FWY(I-35 E)
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS DALLAS W – I-30 COCKRELL HILL
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS NORTH DALLAS AT PRESTON
STAYBRIDGE SUITES DALLAS-ADDISON
DENTON
HOLIDAY INN DENTON UNIVERSITY AREA
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS DENTON-UNT-TWU
DESOTO
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS DALLAS SOUTH – DESOTO
DUNCANVILLE
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS DUNCANVILLE
FORTH WORTH
HOLIDAY INN DALLAS-FORTH WORTH AIRPORT S
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS FORT WORTH DOWNTOWN
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS FORT WORTH I-35 WESTERN CENTER
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS FORT WORTH SOUTHWEST (I-20)
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS FORT WORTH-WEST (I-30)
HOLIDAY INN FORT WORTH NORTH-FOSSIL CREEK
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS LAKE WORTH NW LOOP 820
STAYBRIDGE SUITES FORT WORTH WEST
GARLAND
GRAND PRAIRIE
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS DALLAS – GRAND PRAIRIE I-20
HOUSTON
HURST
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS DFW WEST – HURST
IRVING
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS DALLAS FT. WORTH AIRPORT SOUTH
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS IRVING CONV CTR – LAS COLINAS
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS IRVING DFW AIRPORT NORTH
STAYBRIDGE SUITES DFW AIRPORT NORTH
LEWISVILLE
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS DALLAS LEWISVILLE
MANSFIELD
MCKINNEY
MESQUITE
PLANO
CANDLEWOOD SUITES DALLAS PLANO EAST RICHARDSON
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS DALLAS-NORTH TOLLWAY (N PLANO)
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS PLANO EAST
STAYBRIDGE SUITES PLANO – RICHARDSON AREA
RICHARDSON
Washington
BOTHELL
EVERETT
ISSAQUAH
LAKEWOOD
LYNNWOOD
MARYSVILLE
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS MARYSVILLE
MUKILTEO
STAYBRIDGE SUITES SEATTLE NORTH-EVERETT
PUYALLUP
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS PUYALLUP (TACOMA AREA)
SEATAC
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS SEATTLE -SEA-TEC AIRPORT
SEATTLE
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS NORTH SEATTLE – SHORELINE
SUMNER
TACOMA
Conclusion
All the hotel chains are really trying to push to get folks downloading and starting to use their apps. I normally use the IHG app to see if the hotel has upgraded my reservation without having to log in online.
The long term goal must be to get users to use these apps to check-in and once the technology is in place that would allow mobile devices to function as room keys allow them to bypass the front desk altogether (savings for the hotel as well).
You just have to remember that using these apps to check in may have negative impact on your upgrades. If you request an early check in and the elite member that is occupying the room has late check out, there is a mismatch.
You often have to negotiate your upgrade with the front desk as well, so using the app could put you in disadvantageous position, although good if you only care about an early check in.
